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18th Biennale of Sydney
The theme of this year’s Biennale up in little ol’ Sydney town, is “All Our Relations.” What this means is yet to be seen. You might just have to check it out for yourself. We’ve taken a squiz at what the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) has to offer and were impressed, but have been instructed to keep the exhibition’s contents hush hush. Our advice is to GO! Please! This will be your only chance until the 40th anniversary in 2014!
“But we think we’ve understood the gist, that creativity in group settings is the focus, with a due emphasis on our world context.”
It’s about relationships and collaboration this year, a shift away from the idea of the tortured artist, the individual genius. It’s about discussion and collective understanding. To be honest, we would advise against reading the exhibition overview by the artistic directors, Catherine de Zegher and Gerald McMaster. It’s a bunch of wanky words strung together to sound clever. But we think we’ve understood the gist, that creativity in group settings is the focus, with a due emphasis on our world context. All is interconnected, interdependent, and part of one artistic whole that will thrill and excite. It might just have you gasping. And we as the audience are invited to actively create meaning, taking into account our own experiences and knowledge. At the core of it is this:
‘Telling stories connects us and allows us to care, to be: it fosters collaboration; it aggregates knowledge and generates new ideas; it ignites change; and, ultimately, it builds community.’
The Biennale of Sydney has been held every two years since 1973 to showcase contemporary art. But what happens exactly? Three months of art exhibitions in the MCA, Pier 2/3 in Walsh Bay, Carriageworks, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Cockatoo Island, plus artist talks, after-dark events, performances, forums, film screenings, family events and guided tours all for the low low price of FREE. As much as possible, even the programs, educational resources and transport are also at no cost. Plus there are artist residencies and publications. 100 artists from 44 countries. More than half a million visitors in 2010. It’s definitely worth a peruse, and may just inspire you, us and your loved ones to get actively involved in art and culture. To innovate, experiment and communicate. Fancy that?
